Denver to Abu Dhabi
We landed in Abu Dhabi at 6.00 a.m. After many hours in economy and two sleepless nights we were able to keep upright and to function only thanks to a cup of strong coffee that we had on the plane.
Getting to Port Zayed where MSC Opera was docked required taking 2 buses. We carried backpacks that weighted 7 kg each and did not need a taxi to haul our luggage. At the airport, we, like everyone, stood in line for a machine to buy public transport cards. Then, like everyone, we learned that the machine accepted cash only and my husband went to exchange money. The next thing we learned, like everyone, that the machine did not give change. Everyone ran around the airport to find a place where they could get the exact amount of cash for their trip. My husband had to buy something because the vendors did not want to break banknotes into smaller denominations without making a sale. Then we all gathered by the machine again and nobody knew what buttons to press to buy the cards. Finally, an airport official came to rescue. We gave him the money and he operated the machine for everyone.
The ticket buying took half an hour of our time. According to the schedule, the A2 bus ran about every 15 minutes but it was not a Ramadan schedule. We waited an hour for the bus. When it came, people stormed the bus. I had to push my way through the mostly male crowd to secure 2 seats for us. Standing on the bus was not allowed and the driver told everyone without a seat to leave the bus. At last, we got going.
The second bus brought us to Port Zayed where two MSC ships, Opera and World Europa, were waiting for passengers at the same time. The onboarding procedure was straightforward. We received cruise cards, an agent collected our passports for immigration processing, we will get them back in 4 days.
Tired after 2 nights on the planes but not deterred, we dropped off our backpacks in the cabin and returned to the bus stop. Our goal was to visit the Sheikh Sultan Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the largest in the world. When Opera returns to Abu Dhabi, after breakfast we will go directly to the airport and will not have time to do sightseeing. We lost time buying transport cards and waiting for the A2 bus but still had enough to see the mosque until the ship’s departure.
While the rules about eating and drinking were relaxed in Abu Dhabi, it was not the same with the dress code. I wore pants, a long-sleeved shirt and a cap and believed that I was appropriately dressed for visiting a mosque. The first two securities let me pass, then I was stopped by a female staff member who said that I was not covered enough. We started walking back. A woman returning from the Grand Mosque saw that I was not allowed to enter. She told me they made her to buy an abaya at the entrance which she no longer needed. Despite my protests, the woman pushed the abaya that she already took off into my hands and left.
We returned to the ship, grabbed something to eat in the buffet and fell into bed, utterly exhausted. For the next 7 days on the cruise, we anticipated doing nothing but relaxing and enjoying ourselves.